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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. can — a tin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. swing — music
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. race — a contest
  13. stock — shares
  14. can — a tin
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — in golf
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. swing — to play on
  22. can — to be able to
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com